Chariots of Fire
by watchmaker1331
Summary: Morgan Mimic Oleander is back in action! Along with her faithful dog, Argus, Morgan runs into an old enemy...and uncovers Magneto's latest horrible plot. Please R&R.
1. Prologue

Guess who's back, back, back

Back again gin gin

Mimic's back back back

Tell a friend friend friend

**I do not own any Marvel characters! I do own Morgan Oleander/Mimic and her dog, Argus! Thank you, and have anice day!**

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"A field trip" they called it. And right before finals, too. Maybe she didn't _want_ to go to the damn park. Did they ever think of that? Of course not.

The smoky haired girl sat with her legs crossed on the park bench, fuming, her biology book spread-eagled across her lap. Her hazel eyes stared unseeingly at the page, her eyes boiling angrily. She glanced up, watching the picnicking students across the field. She sat at the opposite end of the park, facing the large pond that took up nearly half of the space. All of the kids from Professor Xavier's School for the Gifted had been piled onto a bus and carted out here against their will. Though all but the girl seemed to be having a good time. Even Rogue and Bobby were having fun, rollerblading hand-in-hand around the cement walking trail.

Morgan Oleander growled, returning to her book. There were many reasons she detested Central Park. Every time she came here, something went wrong.

Her massive dog, Argus, a cross between an Irish wolfhound and a crafty stray, sat beneath her, panting. He whimpered, pawing her foot. Argus loved running with his Girl very much; throwing Sticks was even better. She sighed, rubbing his gray head roughly. "I suppose that'd be alright." With a flick of her wrist, the biology book vanished.

Morgan was no ordinary girl. In fact, none of the frolicking "gifted" children were.

They were mutants.

Morgan stood, brushing the dust off of her rear. She retrieved Argus's red leash from where it had been tied beneath the bench and wrapped it twice around her wrist. "Come on, then," she muttered, heading for the walking path. Argus leapt to his big feet, galloping after his Girl like a happy puppy.

When they reached the path, Morgan broke into a jog. Argus loped along beside her, tongue lolling as he padded along. Morgan smiled slightly, quickening her pace as they entered a sheltered patch of trees. Argus barked excitedly, following her.

They ran beneath the trees for some time, glad for the shade they provided. But as the darkness grew, Morgan became wary. She could no longer hear the shouts of the other students; she never should have come this far. "Come on, boy," she called, tugging on Argus's leash. She turned around, running smack into another jogger. They crashed together awkwardly, Morgan's long hair becoming entangled in his jacket.

"I'm sorry," she said hastily. "I wasn't paying attention." She avoided looking him in the face, trying to release herself fro his zipper.

"Here, let me help you with that," he said, taking her hand. She gasped. She knew that voice.

She looked up. "You!" she cried, flinging herself away from him. Several strands of hair ripped painfully from her skull, still wrapped around his zipper pull. He pulled them off gently, letting them tumble to the ground.

"Me," St. John Allerdyce, replied, smirking. He shoved his hands into his pockets. Morgan knew he was gripping his ever-present lighter. She took a step back, gripping the leash with one hand and placing the other behind her back.

"Chill out, I'm not gonna hurt you," he scoffed, rolling his eyes. Argus barked angrily, sensing his Girl's Fear. Now it was Johnny's turn to step back, his eyes wide, too, with Fear.

"Hey, mate, keep your dog away," he said, trying to sound commanding. Morgan raised a delicate eyebrow, releasing one loop of the leash from her wrist. Argus lunged forward, growling.

"OK, OK, I'm gone," he said, raising his hands in surrender. He turned and hustled away, glancing over his shoulder. He stopped at the top of a small hill to look back, meeting her eyes. Then he vanished over its top.

Morgan sighed. She supposed she should warn everyone. But why? He had as much a right to be here as everyone else.

_You sure there's not another reason you let him go?_ chimed an inner voice. But she pushed it away. _Don't be absurd._

But the damage was done. As she ambled back towards the rest of the students, she wondered what that other motive could have been.


	2. Chapter 1

**I am SO sorry I took so long...this is what happens when you try to work on to fics at once...sorry! So here it is...**

**I don't own marvel, just Morgan, Argus, and the villans from my previous work, "Ditto." Steal and you shall be drawn and quatered. Ask and you may recieve!**

**Have fun...hope you get the joke with the light...**

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"Ready? Catch!"

Bobby tossed the icy sphere into the air. It spun around wildly for a moment, then hovered. It sped toward Morgan's upraised hands, then paused, as though unsure. It did a complicated series of loops, then pelted back toward Bobby. He jumped to the side to avoid it, laughing. Morgan let it crash into the leaf-covered ground, shattering into a million pieces.

"Very good."

The pair turned; neither had seen Professor Xavier enter the training field. They both muttered something unintelligible, small grins escaping. He nodded indulgently. "Bobby, if you will excuse us?"

Bobby shrugged, surprised, waved at Morgan, and headed up to the mansion at a jog. The Professor waited until he was out of earshot before speaking again. Morgan was used to these prolonged silences; her unique abilities had attracted many encounters with him. "Today, I would like you to try something a little different. If I may?" he said, reaching out for her hand. She obliged, feeling his soft, weathered hands brush against her smooth skin. A sharp zap of pain jolted her palm. She yelped and yanked her hand away. It tingled weirdly as she shook it, glaring at him. He smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. I was afraid if I informed you of my intentions, you would resist." This seeming logical, she decided to forgo any whining and asked him what he had done.

"I have attempted to nullify your powers," he explained, wheeling across the pavement as she walked beside him. "Hopefully, this has only taken affect in your hand. Am I right?"

"I think so. It feels numb," she replied, flapping it uselessly.

"Good. Now I want you to fight it." She looked at him. "There are many things we have yet to discover about you, Morgan. Some believe that your apparently limitless power must have boundaries; if you have a weakness, they mean to find it." He turned the corner and she hurried to keep up with him. "I seek to prevent such a thing. If you can remove this relatively complex barrier, then possibly you can evade any other such inhibitions." She nodded, closing her eyes.

Reaching through her veins with her mind, she found the barrier easily. Dismantling it proved more difficult, however; the Professor's weaving to some time to untangle. She did it, however, and froze a passing mosquito to make sure everything worked. Professor Xavier nodded, pleased. "Now try this."

Her entire arm drooped, hanging hopelessly at her side. She undid the barrier once more, faster this time, now that she knew what she was doing. Her arm vanished as she completed the exercise. But the Professor wasn't about to stop; they continued their trails until she could release her entire body in a matter of seconds.

"Excellent," he said as she grew wings for the third time, their golden expanses exploding from holes in her t-shirt. A loud bell echoed in the distance. "Dinner time," he said, and the pair walked up to the mansion together in amiable silence.

"Hey, Morgan, pass me a roll, will you?" Logan said gruffly. She tossed a yeast roll down the table to him. Ororo looked at her sternly.

"Manners please, Miss Oleander," she said. Morgan pinked slightly, but turned to Rogue and giggled.

"Manners please," she muttered in a perfect reproduction of their teacher's voice. Rogue snorted into her mashed potatoes, grinning. "If Logan didn't chuck things up to her, she'd never get any food."

Bobby kicked at her under the table smiling. "Shut up, you want to get struck by lightning?"

Morgan shook her head. She hadn't forgotten Ororo's part in her rescue; the _stormy_ teacher simply didn't get along with her awkward pupil. Suddenly, she remembered the huge chunk of class work she still had to do for that class and swore loudly, pushing away from the table.

"Homework," she called over at her shoulder to her friends' confused faces, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. She ignored Ororo's shocked expression and comments about hearing such language, hurrying away.

She raced up the stairs to her room, fishing for the key in her back pocket. Although the lock would do little against most of the kids that lived here if they really wanted in, it made Morgan feel better to keep her sanctuary protected. She was one of few kids that had been granted her own room; all the other students had one or even two bunkmates. Morgan sometimes missed the companionship that came with roomies, but most of the time blessed the ability to shut everyone out. Sometimes you just need to be alone.

Argus looked up from the bed, yipping happily as she dropped her backpack to the floor. She tossed a roll to him, which he caught in the air and began to tear at voraciously. She laughed, ruffling his curly fur, and fell onto the bed. "Ach," she groaned, closing her hazel eyes for a moment. She rubbed them gently, opening her biology book to page 87. "Enzymes…lovely," she muttered, flicking on the CD player. Dave Matthews Band poured from the speakers, the chords drifting around the room as she gazed at the glossy page. With a sigh, she began to read.

Half way through chapter four, a noise startled Morgan from her science-induced stupor. Argus was snoring on the floor, wuffing quietly in his sleep. She slung her feet over the edge of her bed, standing.

_Thunk!_

There it was again! She padded over to the window, peering out onto the grounds. She jumped backwards as the third stone smacked into the pane, a resounding _thunk _echoing around the room. "What the hell…" She raised the window frame gently, and the rocks stopped. She held out her hand. "Lumos," she whispered, a slight smile creeping across her face at her joke. A ball of light appeared in her hand, dipping and bobbing excitedly. "Go on," she muttered, sending the light in the direction the aerial pebble had come from. It flitted away into the bushes, looping sporadically around the lawn. She leaned out of the window, following its progress.

Two arms grabbed her from above, dragging her out into the darkness.


	3. Chapter 2

**Ok, so it's been AGES and AGES since I've updated, so I've got TWO (count 'em, _2 _) new chapters for you...mostly cause the first one is both short and lame.** **Oh well. **

**I don't own any Marvel characters, but any that the CEO wouldn't recognize are MINE! **

**Please read and review, even if they involve me and my ability to "suck hard"...the more reviews I get, the faster I update!**

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Logan rolled over in his sleep, dreams of a foxhunt confusing him significantly. He grunted, pulling his pillow over his head. _Damn hounds…_With a jolt, he realized that the baying came, not from the world of Morpheous, but from down the hall. He sat up, bewildered and swearing, reaching out in the darkness for his lamp. Grumbling, he pulled on a pair of pants and went to tell Oleander to shut the damn mutt up.

_How can she not be hearing this?_ he thought, rubbing his temples. _Sounds like he's trying to wake up the whole damn house!_

He beat on the door. "Morgan!" When only more barking answered, he hammered on it again. "Kid, are you in there?" He tried the doorknob; it was locked. With a growl, he unsheathed his claws and sliced off the lock, stumbling into the room.

The room was cold as hell; he hurried over and shut the window. Argus continued to bark, bounding back and forth between the window and Logan, his eyes wild. DMB still played in the corner, but the biology book had tumbled to the floor. "Morgan? Ah, shit." A piece of navy blue t-shirt fabric was caught on a nail that protruded from the window, a thin line of blood dotting it. Her Pink Floyd shirt. He pulled it out from between the window panes; if she had simply gone flying, she wouldn't have been wearing her favorite shirt. He fingered it gently…it was still warm.

"Professor!"

They didn't have any time to lose.


	4. Chapter 3

**Hmm...I use the word "damn" a lot in this story, so if you're a youngling whose pure soul might be** **irrevocably scarred and polluted, then you HAVE been warned.**

**Anyhow. Enjoy.**

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"Aren't you damn tired of having to be rescued all of the time?"

Morgan twitched, coming out of her chloroform coma. "Aren't you tired of killing my brain cells?" she grumbled angrily, the fuzzy visage of Magneto coming slowly into focus. Her smoky brown hair was sticking up at odd angles, her t-shirt torn across the bottom, revealing part of her olive-skinned stomach. She blinked her watery eyes repeatedly.

He smirked, pulling away. They were in The Box, or something very similar to it; a stone cell with a heavy iron door and bars in the round window, a view of the nighttime sea stretching on forever outside it. Magneto used it to test his "followers;" the faster they could get out of it, the better. Unfortunately for them, _she_ held the current record.

Several of his cronies had accompanied him; he took the time to inform her of their roles in her capture. Toad had drawn her from the window, Sabertooth had overpowered her, and the rock thrower was…

Pyro leaned up against the cool stone, watching at her with his gray eyes. He flicked his lighter on and off nervously, his gaze flitting back and forth between his master and his victim. Her glare intensified, fury boiling in her veins; she struggled against her bonds.

They were of the same alien material that had prevented her from using her powers before, though far more extensive. She examined them with her mind…or tried to. As much as she tried to wrap her thoughts around them, they slid around the metal, refusing to touch it. She closed her eyes, concentrating…

She yelped. A sharp pain in her wrist brought her out of her reverie, and she found herself staring once more into the smirking face of the head of the Brotherhood.

"I suppose a warning would be unnecessary at this point," Magneto said dryly, drawing back from the chair to which she was bound.

Slumping back into the chair, she smiled benignly up at him. "Well, then. Congratulations! You have succeeded in capturing a disinterested, defenseless human-being _once again_…"

"Spare me, darling Morgan. You are neither defenseless…nor human." Magneto tapped the side of his nose conspiratorially. "Techno! Are you listening?"

"Of course, boss-man." The high-pitched, irritating voice of the young Chinese mutant erupted from the corners of the room. "What can I do you for?"

"How long will it take for you to finish repairs?"

"Nearly done, chief. Maybe an hour…three at the most. The thing was shot clear to…"

"Thank you, Techno. Have it ready in an hour," Magneto purred, cutting him off. Shaking his silvered head gently, he leered at his ruffled captive. "And now, Ms. Oleander, we must part company. Do not fret; I'll shall return soon." Winking in an infuriating way, he glided towards the door. The others followed, pausing with him as he shut the door forcefully.

"You two, come with me. Pyro, you stay here and guard the door. I'm not taking any chances." His icy cold eyes flicked back through the one-way window at Morgan. "I expect that this event shall not proceed as that last catastrophe." He glanced at his watch, the tiny hands powered by his own magnetic pulse.

"So much to do, and so little time in which to do it. Come," he commanded and swept off down the corridor, his inferiors drifting along in his wake.

Johnny leaned exasperatedly against the door, seething quietly. _Well, that was a creative way of telling me I'm worthless. "Gee, John, you screwed up bad last time! Why don't you just stay out of the way and let the big boys do their job? Thanks!"_

"Hey."

He ignored her, flicking open the lighter in his hand.

"Hey. I know you can hear me. Open the goddamn door, I'm frying in here."

Johnny released a bark of laughter, changing his position so he could talk to the door. "Anything else, your majesty? The key to your bonds, perhaps?"

"That'd be nice, but I don't figure they'd trust you with anything like that." He watched her as she leaned back in the chair, stretching her neck. "So. Why am I here, then? Doesn't your boss know the meaning of 'bugger off?'?"

Johnny chuckled, then caught himself. "Dunno," he said, feigning ignorance. He flicked the lighter open again, watching the dancing flame.

"Liar. Look, just because I got kidnapped twice doesn't mean I'm an imbecile. It's not everyday a girl has to worry about being chloroformed." She looked up, staring right at him through the one-way glass. "Tell me. I'll find out soon enough."

"That you will," he said, looking away quickly. She had nice eyes. _What are you _thinking, _Allerdyce? She's the enemy!_

Morgan stopped talking, concentrating on her bonds instead. Xavier's lesson sprang immediately to mind, but how to practice without drawing attention to herself?

She glanced around for cameras, but it seemed that Techno had finally gotten his wish; he had replaced the old surveillance systems with his own. The cameras were minute, appearing on the cold stones as mere shadows or pits.

Damn.

She closed her eyes, her mind bobbing gently along her bloodstream as unobtrusively as possible. At her wrists, she was jolted firmly back into her normal perspective. She swore loudly, bashing the constraints against the chair.

"Hey! Hey!" Johnny grabbed for the door handle, wrenching it open. "Stop it, you crazy bitch! I'll kill you! You watch me, now!" he yelled, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her.

Her head lashed forward, her skull catching him full in the face. He grunted and careened backwards, clutching his nose.

"Sorry!" she whispered, massaging her forehead with her bound hands. She hobbled out of the cell, the remaining fog of the chloroform drifting around her brain. Slamming the door shut, she leaned against it, dizzy and disoriented. She locked the door and beat the chain of her handcuffs against the iron handle. The links bent slightly, but didn't give.

"Damn," she whispered, then took off down the hall.


	5. Chapter 4

**Alrighty then, here's the next chapter! I know darkflame1516 isn't the only one reading this...but s/he is certainly the only one REVIEWING...I love him/her dearly. Shame on my readerswho wallow in their discrasefull (sp?) freeloadery. Shame.**

**Don't own Marvel. Never have...but I hope to, someday. winkwink**

**Bon appetite!**

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"Damn!" he hollered, beating against the door with his fists. His nose was bleeding freely now, dripping down into his mouth and staining his shirt crimson. "Techno, you bastard, open the door!" He spun around, shouting for the little man.

"Sheesh, Johnny-boy, can't you do anything yourself? I'm working here."

"Open the goddamn door, Techno."

"Yes, master," Techno growled into the microphone, flicking the switch to open the cell door. Pyro dashed out into the hallway, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"Where did she go, Tech? Answer me!"

"She's heading north, towards the boss. You'd better catch her before he does, or both our asses are fried. I'll keep him in silent, but you hurry."

"You're an angel, Tech. I'll get her," Johnny said, then ran all-out down the corridor.

_How on God's Own Earth do I get these things off?_

Morgan paused at a junction, her back up against the cool stone. All of the drugged fuzz was gone, leaving behind a dizzying headache. She stared at the cuffs heatedly, wishing with all of her might that, like Cyclops, her looks really could kill.

Her eyes burned, but no ray of crimson salvation poured from them. Angrily, she waved her arms above her head. They slid down her arms to her elbows.

Yelping in pain, she bit her lip. The cry echoed around the stony walls, magnifying it to an incredible volume before it fell away into nothingness. Furious with herself, she made to run back down the corridor.

_Half a minute._

She raised her arms again, and the cold metal slipped back to her elbows, stopped by the width of the joint. Dropping her arms back to her sides, she watched as it fell down around her wrists. The narrowest part of the cuffs rested on the widest part of her hand, right below the thumb knuckle. With a soft chuckle, she wedged her fingers together and tried to pull her hand through the slick metal.

It stuck, right at the knuckle.

She swore, trying to pull the pinching cuffs back over her hand. _Other hand, Oleander._ Yanking down on the right manacle, she grunted as it scrapped the skin off of her wrist. She gripped her fingers closer and closer together, willing the metal away from her skin…

It popped off, swinging into the wall with a _clank_. "Yes!" she whispered, bringing her bleeding wrist to her mouth. She wiggled her fingers gently, checking for any residual damage.

The hairs rose on the back of her neck, making her turn around. Pyro stood at the junction, flicking his lighter open.

"MOVE!" he cried. She dove to the left, a massive jet of flame singeing the tips of her hair. The loose manacle did not fair so well; it melted, stinking, to the floor.

Now she was trapped. She pulled at her other handcuff desperately, the heat of the flames baking her skin. She closed her eyes against the glare, trying with all of her might to remove her bonds before Pyro realized he had missed.

The burning sensation stopped abruptly. She raised her free hand in front of her face, ready to defend herself with whatever miniscule powers she could muster…

"You alright?"

Totally thrown off, she opened her eyes to find the boy kneeling in front of her. "You alright?" he asked again, gripping her shoulders and shaking her gently. Lowering her hand slightly, she slapped him across the face.

He reeled back slightly, startled. His face and chin were covered with dried blood, and a large red handprint was forming on his right cheek. He looked about ready to strike back, but instead he pointed his finger towards the hall behind her. "Look, I just saved you. I'd appreciate it if you didn't hit me again. Ok?"

Warily, Morgan glanced over her shoulder. A charred body lay on the floor, the smell making her gag. Scales blew off of the corpse, taking flight on the AC intake draft. Four crumbling eye sockets stared unblinkingly up at the pair accusingly. The creatures ribs could be clearly seen poking through the rapidly retreating skin, the hands and feet thin and brittle. "What in the hell…" she whispered, glancing back at Pyro.

"He was a mutant. Called himself the Greenman, could spit acid. Looked like a normal guy on the street. Not anymore, though," he chuckled. "Totally insane, deformed. Must have escaped from the ward. That stuff'll do that…" He stopped, clearing his throat and watching her silently for a moment. She raised an eyebrow at him. _Do not give in to her. Remember how she humiliated you. Remember what it will accomplish for mutantkind._ "It's for the best," he whispered, then stood, reaching out a hand for her to grasp.

"I'm not going anywhere until you unlock these cuffs. You've fused me to the floor," Morgan said, gesturing at the smoking lump of metal that was firmly rooted to the steel tiles. Johnny groaned, dragging his hand down his face in exasperation.

"You _do_ have a key, don't you?"

"Munh."

"Sorry, I couldn't quite make that out."

"NO!" he growled, looking up and down the corridor. If he had fried Techno's link in this hallway, he'd never get her loose. He ran his hands over the superheated wall, searching for the tiny surveillance camera that would connect him directly to the other mutant. "It's a radio lock. You have to send a specific signal…damn," he said, pulling from the wall a twist lump of electronics that had once been a very fine camera. "Now we'll never get you loose."

"I can do it," she said matter-of-factly, cracking the knuckles of her free hand. "I've seen your computer boy fly his robots. I can send it." He turned to look at her, taking his turn to raise an eyebrow. For a moment, their eyes met. She looked away angrily, brushing her smoky hair out of her face. "Oh good Lord, if I can't get it off, you can always burn me loose."

"Oh. Right," he muttered, wondering why he didn't think of that. He leaned up against the wall, watching her carefully.

Morgan closed her eyes, trying to relax. Her free hand hovered over the other, tingling gently as she forced power through the numb veins. Her fingers responded excitedly, growing warm beneath her skin. She forced the energy outward, to probe the shackle more closely. A soft electronic beep entered her mind, calling her mind forward. She touched it gently.

_Cold!_ her brain shrieked, trying to force her to pull away from the burning cold that was creeping through her fingers. Biting her lip, she forced herself onward, searching for the source of noise, to find the lock. The metal drew her power from her like nails through a straw, the pain climbing gradually up her arm until she was no longer bare it. Hissing sharply, she released it, shaking her hand to bring back the warmth.

Johnny was at her side. "You finished?" She nodded curtly, waving her entrapped hand. The metal shackles fell to the floor with a sharp _crack_. She moved her fingers in astonishment.

She was free.

The sound of a igniting lighter made her look up. Johnny held it before him, his other hand ready to strike if she made a move to escape. "Get up."

She stood slowly, her hands at her sides. He grabbed her arm, but released it quickly; it was icy cold, like a corpse. Scowling, he pushed her down the hall, past the flaking corpse. "Just move. We're going to find the boss."


	6. Chapter 5

**New chapitre...still not getting a whole lot of reviews...tis a bummer. I know I'm being weird about the way I update this, but really guys...all you have to do is click the little button and be like "you rock," "you suck," or "fix this." Tisn't hard.**

**Not a whole lot of new developments in this one but oh vell. The next chappie is good, if i do say so myself...and i do. :D**

**Still don't own Marvel, still wish I did. Oh, and my lax team won state! WOOT! ahem. **

**Moving on. Enjoy!**

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"I understand your concern, Logan, and we're doing all we can," Ororo said, her forehead wrinkled with worry and disapproval. "If we cannot locate her, we can do nothing for her."

Logan paced the hallway outside of Cerebro, fuming silently. _Why did she have to go and get herself caught AGAIN? Can't we leave her alone for thirty seconds without…_

The door hissed open and the Professor wheeled out, rubbing his temples. "It is as we feared."

"How did we let this happen? They were HERE, on the grounds, in the middle of the night…!"

Xaiver nodded. "We are lucky that they did nothing else. Soon, we must find out where they got in and how. For the time being, we must help Morgan."

Logan nodded curtly, massaging his knuckles. "Where we going?"

"For the moment, nowhere." He held up a hand to stay Logan's outburst. "This could be a diversion. It would not be beyond Magneto to capture young Morgan and then catch us with our pants down. We must be cautious, and we must plan. Do you think she would want us to compromise the rest of the children's safety to charge blindly forth to rescue her? I should think not," he said sternly as Logan seethed. "Miss Oleander is perfectly capable of taking care of herself for a time. As it stands, we can neither all rush out nor send only one member to track her down. Magneto has undoubtedly taken her to his new fortress; we know neither where it is located nor how many mutants he might have waiting for us when we arrive. Our last outright assault was nearly a disaster; since then, his ranks have only swelled."

"We can't just leave her!" Logan growled, his eyes narrowed. He refused to allow the Professor's logic to penetrate his thoughts; they would not, they _could_ not just let her fend for herself. The Professor raised an eyebrow.

Logan lowered his eyes, still seething quietly. His mouth set in a grim line, he turned.

"I'll go check the sensors."

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"So what has your bossman got planned for little ol' me this time?" Morgan asked as she was hustled along the corridors at Johnny's side. "Just a wild guess, but its probably not an all expenses paid trip to paradise."

Pyro grunted but did not respond, his grip tight on her upper arm. The scattered remains of his conscience seemed to be regrouping, nagging at the back of his mind. _This will be the end. No matter what _he_ says, the drug will only destroy her. No more lopsided smile, no more soft brown hair…_

_Shut up!_ he thought, trying to silence the voice.

…_No more Morgan Oleander._

He slowed his pace, trying to fight the feeling that was stirring in the pit of his stomach. He glanced at her, admiring the way her hair fell across her face. He couldn't do it.

He stopped walking, his eyes closed. Why was this so difficult? She was the enemy, for Christ's sake! Everything she did was against what he believed; wasn't that the reason he had left Xavier's Academy in the first place? Her sacrifice would benefit the lives of mutants everywhere…

_You don't believe that. You never did. When did you become a pawn, John Allerdyce?_

He gritted his teeth, starting forward again. He clutched her arm ever tighter, flicking his lighter open and closed with nervous repetition. He would complete his duty, and she would cease to be a problem. No more failures. No more disappointment.

_No more Morgan Oleander._

He swallowed angrily, leading her on towards Magneto's laboratory.


	7. Chapter 6

**New chap...school 's been out for a while, so either this summer you'll get an a$$load of updates, or close to 0. I'm not sure. tell all your friends!**

**PLEASE OH PLEASE OH PLEASE review. there, you've reduced me to begging. I hope you feel empowered. **

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"All the circuits are fine…but look at the tape," Scott said, pointing to the bank of computer screens that showed different angles of the Academy. At 9:57, every screen shorted out, leaving nearly thirty seconds of gray transmission snow. At 9:58, a picture of a high-backed desk chair flickered into view. At 9:59, the chair slowly turned, revealing a smirking Magneto. Waving nonchalantly with the tips of his long fingers, the mutant spoke.

"There once was a man who told only lies. He says to you 'I am telling you a lie.' If he always lies, then what he means is that he speaks the truth. But if he speaks the truth, he is still telling a lie…" He paused here, raising an eyebrow. "Perhaps I am planning a full-scale attack on your little kindergarten. You have seen how easily I override your pathetic security system." He spread his hands in a smug gesture. "Or maybe a visit from your friendly young copycat is all I wanted. Her company can be so…enlightening." Magneto leaned back in his chair, folding his long fingers into a peak. "The board is set, Charles. The next move is yours."

At 10:00, the screen descended once more into that terrible, crackling frost.

The X-Men turned to their leader, their faces drawn and silent. Bobby reached down and grasped Rogue's gloved hand.

The Professor closed his eyes, breathing deeply to settle himself. "We must call his bluff. Ororo, ready the children. If we are attacked, Magneto will receive much more than he bargained for."

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The sliding silver door hissed opened as the pair was admitted into the chill laboratory. Mystique leaned against the wall, her curvy blue form becoming rigid with hostility. 

"We did not send for her! Why did you bring her here? Or can't you handle her by yourself?" she hissed, her yellow eyes flashing with irritation as she eyed Johnny's bloody face and shirt.

"She tried to escape, so _I_ decided she would be safer here," he replied coolly. "Speaking of escapees…One of your wards was wandering the halls. Came after us. Aren't _you_ the one that's supposed to make sure they stay where they're supposed to be?"

Mystique drew back, narrowing her eyes. Her hair rippled angrily, as though it had a mind of its own. "Go on, then. You face his wrath," she scoffed and waved her hand dismissively.

Rolling his eyes, Johnny drew his unusually quiet captive through the door. A short hallway stretched before them, either side lined with safety glass that gave view into the rooms that led off of it.

In each of the six rooms, a flaking creature raged. They tore painfully at their flesh, their bodies in varying states of decay. They pressed their deformed faces up against the glass, howling plaintively.

Morgan's eyes widened in horror. She unconsciously moved closer to her captor, disgust, fear, and something like pity scattered across her face. "What _are_ they?"

"The Fly, Darknesse, Mirrora, Seismic, Cobra, and Muse," Johnny replied dully, averting his eyes from the twisted monsters. "All mutants that willingly promoted the way of science."

Morgan stopped walking, jerking him to a halt. "What did you do to them?" she asked, a tremor of fear in her otherwise calm and collected voice. "Why are they so…"

"Science is a beautiful thing, Miss Oleander. But not everyone is enlightened enough to see that." Magneto stood at the other end of the hall, his gray eyes never leaving her face. "Soon you will understand, young Mimic. For I have discovered a way to make us all equal…all invincible."

"Like your mutation machine, you mean. Yeah, I heard about that," Morgan growled, her fingernails digging into Johnny's arm. "Worked real well, didn't it? I can't think of anything else I'd rather be when I die than a giant, water-filled slug."

Magneto nodded in acknowledgement. "I have made a few mistakes in the past, it is true. Our friends here are a testament to that." He gestured to the beings behind the glass. "But this time I cannot fail. Not with genes like yours…They will have to be modified a bit, of course." He was close now, grasping her shoulders. She struggled, but he easily overpowered her. The head of the Brotherhood dragged her forward, past the disfigured mutants and into a chrome room with a large hospital bed in the center. The chair's restraining straps and the tray of syringes reminded Morgan horribly of the lethal injection chamber she had once seen on TV. This did not bode well.

Sabertooth marched forward, looking decidedly awkward in his clean, sanitized lab coat. His shaggy hair was tied back away from his face and his nails clipped. In short, he looked miserable as he forced the young mutant into the chair, clipping the straps and locking them tightly.

Magneto drew one of the syringes toward himself and proceeded to fill it from a bottle of silver liquid. He rotated it in front of the light, a smug look on his powerful face. "My latest invention…the Darwin drug." He glanced at Morgan who was struggling against her bonds. "Allow this to settle within the blood of a mutant for a mere five minutes, and then all traces of her powers can be siphoned out with her blood. The DNA can then be multiplied and administered to others…giving them whatever abilities the former mutant possessed. Pure…genius."

Johnny squirmed uncomfortably. _All of the other trials have failed, creating…Why should this one be any different?_ The picture of her, her skin flaking off and her limbs deteriorating as her hair dropped off in clumps, was unbearable. He closed his eyes and tried to look away.

Morgan saw this reaction, and if nothing else had been requiring her attention, she would have been flattered. As it was, she figured it was best to concentrate on getting free. _Keep him talking, Oleander. That's obviously what he enjoys_. "Why can't you just extract the DNA normally? That seems like a long way to go when you could just grab a bit of blood."

"Mutant blood can be very dangerous…this serum dilutes the suspension and…" Morgan ignored the rest of the answer. If only she could get rid of these bindings…!

As unobtrusively as possible, she began to levitate the lighter out of Johnny's pocket. Most of the chemicals in the lab looked flammable…she hoped she was right. She saw him start as he felt the lighter rise against his leg; she jerked it out abruptly, flicking it open. The flame leapt high…

A roaring blaze flew forth, growing as it approached the shelves of substances. Magneto and Sabertooth turned towards the flames in mild surprise, as if in slow motion. Johnny dove out into the hallway quickly. The groping tongues of flame reached out for the numerous vials and jugs. Morgan closed her eyes.

The laboratory exploded from within.


End file.
